Ladies, watch for these four heart attack symptoms

Thursday

Feb 28, 2013 at 12:01 AMFeb 28, 2013 at 12:41 PM

Q. What are some heart attack symptoms in women?

Q. What are some heart attack symptoms in women?

A. This is such an important question to ask because of its relevancy. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in America. We've all been trained to think of that classic scene of an older man falling to the ground, clutching his chest when we think of a heart attack, but it's not always the case. In many cases, its women — and the symptoms are much harder to detect.

Here is a list of the top heart attack signs in women to help keep you or a loved one informed:

Pressure: Sometimes it will feel as if an elephant is sitting on your chest, or sometimes it will feel like an uncomfortable squeezing or fullness. If the pressure doesn't go away or returns within minutes, this could be a sign of a heart attack. Women especially need to pay attention to more subtle signs because these symptoms can mimic those of the flu or acid reflux.

Pain in arm(s): That goes for back, neck and jaw as well. This symptom could be the most confusing because of the unusual locations and is experienced more often by women than men. Any unusual pain above the waist that heightens and lowers within a few minutes is cause to contact your health care provider.

Shortness of breath: You should be alarmed if you experience the kind of shortness of breath you would feel if you were running, but you're standing perfectly still. If this symptom is unexplained, there may be a problem. This can also occur with or without chest pain and may be accompanied by unexplained nausea, lightheadedness or breaking out in a cold sweat.

Fatigue: Some women experience extreme tiredness while their bodies are at rest. If you can't do simple tasks that you can normally do, such as walk to the kitchen or bend down, this may be a symptom of a heart attack.

The most important thing to remember is to pay attention to your body. If you feel something is off or irregular, contact your health care provider or dial 911. Do not wait more than five minutes before calling for help. No symptom is ever too small to pay attention to.

Anil Gupta, M.D., is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and specializes in cardiology and internal medicine. Gupta practices at PMC Physician Associates, Cardiology in East Stroudsburg.